0460IF015
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Purpose: VIAVI Solutions, Inc, proposes to establish a hybrid physical lab infrastructure and cloud-based testing lab-as-a-service (LAAS) or VALOR. VALOR aims to create a fully automated, cooperative, open and impartial testing-as-a-service (TAAS) offering that is dedicated to open RAN interoperability, performance and security.
Activities to be performed: Using a hybrid model, VALOR intends to empower open RAN component providers to leverage LAAS in a structurally cost-effective way that the NTIA grant will further augment, regardless of the scale of a component provider's operation. VALOR's services range from cloud-based environments for preliminary testing to extensive multi-cell load-and stress testing, previously inaccessible to smaller vendors, all utilizing a continuous integration/delivery/testing (CI/CD/CT) model.
Expected outcomes: The project closes two major open RAN testing gaps -- pre-certification, pre-badge development and system verification with ongoing testing, and pre-deployment realistic and carrier-grade performance testing. VALOR aims to achieve an over three-fold improvement in LAAS automation and a four-fold improvement in cloudification.
Intended beneficiaries: This project targets an approximately 78% improvement in total test cost affordability for small and medium size open RAN vendors; will instill operational confidence in smaller open RAN vendors and innovators, particularly those that may not have the resources to establish a dedicated testing lab during the development and system verification stages, and the cloud-native, pay-as-you-go software-as a-service (SAAS) model allows for pre-certification and pre-badging testing, thereby improving accessibility and affordability for smaller vendors.
Subrecipient activities: The project does not have any subrecipients.
Activities to be performed: Using a hybrid model, VALOR intends to empower open RAN component providers to leverage LAAS in a structurally cost-effective way that the NTIA grant will further augment, regardless of the scale of a component provider's operation. VALOR's services range from cloud-based environments for preliminary testing to extensive multi-cell load-and stress testing, previously inaccessible to smaller vendors, all utilizing a continuous integration/delivery/testing (CI/CD/CT) model.
Expected outcomes: The project closes two major open RAN testing gaps -- pre-certification, pre-badge development and system verification with ongoing testing, and pre-deployment realistic and carrier-grade performance testing. VALOR aims to achieve an over three-fold improvement in LAAS automation and a four-fold improvement in cloudification.
Intended beneficiaries: This project targets an approximately 78% improvement in total test cost affordability for small and medium size open RAN vendors; will instill operational confidence in smaller open RAN vendors and innovators, particularly those that may not have the resources to establish a dedicated testing lab during the development and system verification stages, and the cloud-native, pay-as-you-go software-as a-service (SAAS) model allows for pre-certification and pre-badging testing, thereby improving accessibility and affordability for smaller vendors.
Subrecipient activities: The project does not have any subrecipients.
Awardee
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Chandler,
Arizona
85286-8455
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
None
Viavi Solutions was awarded
Open RAN Testing Lab-as-a-Service (LAAS) for Small Vendors
Project Grant 0460IF015
worth $21,714,113
from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in January 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Chandler Arizona United States.
The grant
has a duration of 3 years and
was awarded through assistance program 11.038 Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program – Expanding Testing and Evaluation.
$5,756,411 (21.0%) of this Project Grant was funded by non-federal sources.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 1/22/24
Period of Performance
1/15/24
Start Date
1/14/27
End Date
Funding Split
$21.7M
Federal Obligation
$5.8M
Non-Federal Obligation
$27.5M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
0460IF015
SAI Number
0460IF015_0
Award ID URI
EXE
Awardee Classifications
For-Profit Organization (Other Than Small Business)
Awarding Office
1333ND DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST
Funding Office
1331K2 DEPT OF COMMERCE NTIA
Awardee UEI
D3HTC3G4C1E3
Awardee CAGE
1QLU8
Performance District
AZ-05
Senators
Kyrsten Sinema
Mark Kelly
Mark Kelly
Modified: 1/22/24